Thanks for your interest in the Pro Bono Pledge

Thank you for your interest in doing law-related volunteer work in the local community. Through your efforts, you will be able to have a positive impact on real people with real problems. Since this program was started eight years ago, Georgetown law students have helped thousands of people with their legal problems, volunteering over 75,000 hours in the local community.

Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions about the Georgetown Law Pro Bono Pledge should be directed to Holly Eaton, Director of Pro Bono Programs in OPICS, Room 212, McDonough.

What is the Pro Bono Pledge?
How do I sign up for the Pro Bono Pledge?
What type of volunteer work counts towards the Pro Bono Pledge?
How do I keep track of the hours I volunteer?
What happens when I meet my pledge goal?
What happens if I don't meet my pledge goal?
How do I find volunteer opportunities?

What is the Pro Bono Pledge?
At Georgetown Law, we are dedicated to the principle that members of the legal profession and those aspiring to enter the legal profession have a professional obligation to assist in providing quality legal services to individuals, groups or causes that are under-represented in the legal system.  In furtherance of this principle, Georgetown Law challenges all incoming JD law students to pledge at least 75 hours of law-related volunteer work before they graduate.  Second year JD transfer students and two year LLM candidates are asked to pledge 50 hours and one year LLM candidates, 25 hours.

All students are encouraged to perform volunteer work beyond the amount pledged.  JD students will receive special recognition for exceptional service in the amounts of 125 hours and 175 hours.  Second year JD transfer students and two-year LLM's will receive special recognition for completing 75 hours and 100 hours and one-year LLM's will be recognized for volunteering 35 hours and 50 hours.

How do I sign up for the Pro Bono Pledge?
To sign up for the pledge, fill out and sign a Pro Bono Pledge card which is available in the OPICS office.  The grey card is for JD students who are pledging 75 hours, the green card is for transfer students who are pledging 50 hours, and the pale yellow card is for LLM students who are pledging 25 hours.  Be sure to check off your volunteer interests on the back of the card so that you can be notified of volunteer projects in these interest areas.  Language skills should also be noted, as Georgetown Law is often contacted by organizations and firms in need of translators to assist them with their cases or produce materials regarding legal subjects in different languages.  A teaching background, health care, social work or medical knowledge, volunteer service; these and similar skills are useful in the public interest community and should be noted.

What type of volunteer work counts towards the Pro Bono Pledge?
To count towards the Pledge, a student must engage in law-related volunteer work under the supervision of a licensed attorney or law faculty member which benefits under-served individuals, groups or causes.  Also, the work must be performed while the student is enrolled in classes at Georgetown Law and cannot be for credit or compensation.  (Summer internships do not qualify.)  A more detailed listing of what specifically counts towards the Pledge can be found here.  At the end of each semester or the completion of a project, each student must submit a time sheet with weekly totals of hours volunteered and the signature of his or her supervisor.

OPICS offers first year students the opportunity to volunteer with local legal service organizations for a minimal time commitment through the 1L Pro Bono Service Project.  These projects are pre-approved for credit towards the Pro Bono Pledge.  All upper level students are welcome to meet with Holly Eaton individually to find a placement that counts towards the Pledge.   If you find a volunteer opportunity on your own, you should consult Holly to be sure it qualifies for credit under the Pro Bono Pledge.

 

How do I keep track of the hours I volunteer?
Every semester, OPICS will have timesheets you can pick up to use to keep track of the time you volunteer.  You should record the weekly total of hours volunteered in the appropriate box on the time sheet, rounded to the nearest ½ hour.  Time spent in training for your pro bono work counts towards the pledge.  Travel time to and from the place you are volunteering does not count.  The only travel time that counts is when you are traveling for the employer such as to and from court or another office. If you volunteer for more than one employer during the semester, you should fill out a separate time sheet for each employer.  At the end of the semester, the supervising attorney at each organization for which you volunteered should sign the appropriate time sheet.  The completed time sheets should be turned into OPICS so that we may track your progress towards your pledge goal.

 

What happens when I meet my pledge goal?
Periodically, you will be notified by OPICS of the hours we have recorded for you. You will also be notified when you have achieved your pledge goal.  Those students who meet or exceed their pledge goal by graduation will receive a notation in the graduation bulletin and a certificate from OPICS.  Individual students will also receive special recognition for exceptional service at the annual Public Service Awards Reception in the Spring, so you are encouraged to continue volunteering and keeping track of your hours.

 

What happens if I don't meet my pledge goal?
There are no negative consequences for not meeting your pledge goal.

 

How do I find volunteer opportunities?
When you complete your Pro Bono Pledge card and indicate the areas in which you are interested in volunteering, you will be eligible to receive notice of pro bono opportunities in those areas.  Holly Eaton, the Pro Bono Coordinator, is also available to meet one-on-one with students to assist them in finding pro bono opportunities that best match their interests, skills and schedule.

Look for OPICS' weekly publications, Ad Hoc Opps for short-term, limited time-commitment projects open to all JD's and LLM's and "Pro Bono Opportunities Bulletin" for semester long internships mostly suited to 2Ls, 3Ls and LLMs.  Other sources include the weekly campus newsletter, What's Happening, available around campus.  In addition, online listings can be found on Symplicity and PSLawnet.org.  Stop by OPICS for information about accessing these sites.